1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to antiviral compounds for the treatment of SARS-CoV infections, more specifically, to a new class of small molecule inhibitors of SARS-CoV replication that block the helicase activity of nsp13.
2. Background of the Invention
Severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) is a highly contagious disease caused by SARS-associated coronavirus (SARS-CoV) for which there are no approved treatments. SARS causes a life-threatening viral respiratory illness, which emerged from Southern China and spread to other parts of the world including North America, South America, and Europe. There is currently no approved therapeutic agent for the treatment of SARS infections. Although, SARS currently does not pose a public threat, the likelihood of future occurrences of both SARS-CoV and related viruses necessitates continuous research for identification of antiviral therapies.